Time Tourney
by Red Berin
Summary: The Doctor, Ian, Barbara, and Vicki land in a medieval city. Their arrival isn't welcomed and they are soon in the middle of an interplanetary conflict. The team has no choice but to become involved. The struggle to escape soon turns into a fight to stay alive.
1. Chapter 1

Hello again! It's been a long while since I've attempted a fanfic that isn't a oneshot. I'm really hoping that I can keep up with this. I have some ideas in mind, but really no set course for this story to take. All that aside, please enjoy!

* * *

A noise unlike any Mokudar had ever heard reached his ears. He could only identify the sound as something that he might hear in the smith's. Hagamar was looking around suspiciously, trying to find the source of the strange noise. If it had been daytime, the sound could have been drowned out by the residents' milling about. On the other hand, the residents might have heard the noise and caused a big scene. As it was, Mokudar and Hagamar were the only two around. They glanced at each other silently, deciding that this disturbance warranted investigation.

Their footsteps echoed off of the cobblestone and the empty street made the sound even louder. Even the clanging of their armor was magnified by the stone buildings. The two men knew that they would have no element of surprise. Whatever they were up against could surely hear them coming from miles away. Mokudar clutched a halberd in his sweating palms. He hoped that it could perhaps give him some kind of advantage, but how could it if he didn't even know what they were up against?

The other guard, Hagamar, was visibly more at ease than his partner. His sword was still in its sheath, although he did rest his hand on its hilt. He had been on the watch longer than Mokudar. Although he had never heard a noise like this, he had also never encountered a serious problem while on patrol. This would surely be no different.

They continued down the street, finding nothing of interest. Hagamar almost decided to call off the search altogether. It could have just been a noise from inside one of the shoddy residential buildings. He was at a loss to explain what could have produced the sound. He soon found he didn't have to come up with a reason. As the two men passed an alley, a blue light caught their attention. It disappeared momentarily before shining again. It continued flashing as Mokudar and Hagamar cautiously approached.

* * *

Vicki watched the Doctor, eager to see how his time machine worked. She stood to his side and he was well aware that each of his movements was under her analysis. His other two companions had long since gone to bed, but Vicki refused to sleep. She didn't want to miss her first time travelling experience.

To her slight disappointment, she learned that takeoff and landing were really the only interesting parts. The Doctor was happy to see that his inability to control the time and place of destination didn't deter the young girl. While they waited, the Doctor offered to play Vicki in a game of chess. She claimed chess was boring but she didn't seem too reluctant to play. He mentioned other games that were probably lying around the ship and told Vicki they could look form them later.

The Doctor was pleasantly surprised to find that Vicki could hold her own in chess. He took the victory but he congratulated her on a game well played. As they started another round (on Vicki's insistence that she could indeed beat him), the TARDIS began the landing sequence.

The Doctor manned the controls for a smooth landing. Vicki found the entire process to be a bit anticlimactic but she reminded herself that she had yet to experience walking into a different time. "Where are we, Doctor?" she asked.

"Now that's the question," the Doctor responded. He turned on the scanner only to see a narrow alley opening to a larger street. "Hmm. I think we'll need to leave the TARDIS to be able to see what's outside. Wake up the other two, will you?"

In a flash, Vicki bounded off down one of the hallways. Once she reached Ian's bedroom, she wrenched open the door to find the teacher lying sprawled out on the curved bed. His mouth was open and he was snoring steadily.

"Ian, wake up! We're here!" Vicki said, bouncing from one foot to the other. When he didn't, she became impatient. She noticed a pair of shoes by the door and picked one of them up, weighing it in her hand. She threw it at his chest just hard enough to knock him awake. Ian bolted upright and stared at her with wide eyes. "We're here," Vicki repeated. She left the room to find Barbara.

The room Vicki and Barbara shared was a little ways down the hall. Barbara was sleeping soundly on one of the beds. "Barbara!" Vicki called out.

The sleeping woman jerked awake and blinked wearily at Vicki. "What's wrong?"

"We've landed."

"Oh." Barbara slid off the bed and attempted to pat down her mussed hair. "Where are we?"

"The Doctor says we have to leave the TARDIS to see."

"I'll be out after I change, then," Barbara said as she opened the door to the closet.

Vicki turned from the room and rolled her eyes. Barbara and Ian were going to take ages to get ready, she knew. Surely the Doctor wouldn't leave the TARDIS without them around. That left her to wait even more. The only thing left to do was rejoin the Doctor.

When she found him, he was poring over data the ship provided. He raised his monocle to the information provided by strange machines. Vicki watched, trying to find the process interesting. When she couldn't take the silence, she said, "Ian and Barbara are getting dressed."

"Good, good," the Doctor nodded. He stepped aside to allow Vicki a view of the machines and said, "This place doesn't appear to be hazardous to us and the atmosphere is similar to that of Earth. There is breathable air, although temperature readouts place the weather warmer than what we're used to."

"Well, that's good to know before we go stepping into a volcano or something!" Vicki giggled. The Doctor chuckled with her and patted her head.

At the sound of footsteps, the two turned to see Ian entering the control room. A few moments later, Barbara joined them as well. "It's about time! We've been waiting for ages!" Vicki chided.

Ian and Barbara glanced at each other. "What did you expect?" Barbara asked. "We were sleeping!"

"And there are better alarm calls than having shoes chucked at you," Ian added, rubbing the spot on his chest that Vicki had hit.

"Now, now, everyone. We're all here now and there's a new world waiting for us outside," the Doctor said. He walked from the controls to a chair with his coat draped over it. He pulled the coat around his shoulders and held the lapels in his hands. "Are we ready, then?"

"Let's go, already!" Vicki ran to Ian and Barbara, grabbed their hands, and pulled the two of them to the door. She dropped their hands and waited excitedly for the Doctor to open the door.

"Patience, child!" He pressed one of the buttons on the control panel and the doors began to open. "It isn't safe for you to run –"

But Vicki wasn't listening anymore. As soon as the door was open enough, she darted outside into the darkness. The three left in the ship stared after her in wonder. "She doesn't rest, does she?" asked Ian.

The smile quickly vanished from his face when a scream from outside drowned out the TARDIS's humming.

* * *

A girl – a human girl – came bounding out of the strange blue . . . box? Mokudar couldn't think of another way to describe the blue _thing_ that had materialized in the alley. She let out a piercing yell at the sight of the two watchmen. That was certainly nothing new. Humans often were shocked and repulsed by the sight of Mokudar. For that matter, they didn't like the way any of his people looked.

Hagamar sprang forward and grabbed the girl by her upper arms and lifted her so that her feet dangled off the ground. She called out for someone. Before Mokudar could react, he was shoved harshly against the wall. A man had charged out of the blue box and pushed him out of the way in a mad dash to reach the girl. Mokudar reached for the man and managed to get a hold of his shoulders. He spun around and sent the man tumbling to the ground.

Others had heard the girl scream. Mokudar could hear footsteps running towards the alley. As several guards came into view, the man shouted, "Stay in the TARDIS!" The last word wasn't familiar to Mokudar.

He brought the point of his halberd to the man's neck and tried to sound as threatening as he could, "Not another sound or this goes through your throat." It must've worked. The man kept silent. The anger in his eyes disconcerted his assailant, but Mokudar kept his stance.

A woman stepped out of the box, horrified at the scene before her. "Ian?" she called to the man under the halberd's point.

The man heard his name and opened his mouth to answer her. A quick tap on the neck from Mokudar's weapon kept him quiet.

"Just what is going on here?" An older man stepped out of the box and surveyed the scene with displeasure.

While Mokudar watched, the man he had pinned made an attempt to free himself. He pushed the halberd away from his throat and tried to get to his feet. The man might very well have succeeded if it weren't for the sudden arrival of reinforcements.

One of the guards rushed to Mokudar's side. As the man tried to sit up, the new guard slammed into him, knocking him back to the ground. Another of the guards ran to help Hagamar with the struggling girl. Two more guards charged towards the woman and the old man. One easily pulled the woman into the air and slung her over his shoulder, despite her attempts to stay planted on the ground. The other guard reached for the old, but received a sharp rap on the head with the man's cane. "I won't have any of that. Walking suits me perfectly, thank you."

After making sure the young girl wasn't going anywhere, Hagamar stepped forward. "You invade our city unannounced. You bring this foreign . . . _thing_ into our home without explanation. You –"

"Explanation?" the old man was aghast. "We step outside of the ship into an unknown world and are immediately accosted by guards!"

"That's a ship?" Hagamar approached the box, looking it up and down. "It doesn't look like a ship you humans use. It's definitely not one of ours, either."

He stepped closer to the so-called ship, but the old man hurriedly spun on the spot and blocked the door. The man fumbled with something for a few moments before Hagamar grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away.

"You're not getting in there and there isn't any chance I'll let you in," the old man said as he slipped something into his pocket. Mokudar assumed it was a key, but he couldn't be sure.

Mokudar was stunned at the man's brash reaction. Even Hagamar seemed taken aback. He gave a small chuckle and asked, "Even if we put you in the castle's dungeon for not submitting to the city watch?"

The man underneath Mokudar's weapon squirmed to free himself. "Doctor, what do you think you're doing?" Mokudar smacked him roughly on the head with his halberd and the man didn't say anything else.

"Chesterton, you know perfectly well why I can't let everyone who asks into my ship."

"Is that so? The king's not going to be so happy to hear that."

"Does the king know you're arresting travelers who have just happened to enter the city?"

"Strangers that claim to have arrived in a blue box should be arrested. Get moving," Hagamar pulled the old man away from the box and pushed him down the alleyway.

* * *

Ian writhed between his two captors in an attempt to break free. He didn't know what he would do if he actually managed to get away, but he had to do something. Another quick knock on the head put a stop to his struggles and he resigned himself to be led away by these two – men? They were definitely male, but Ian wasn't so sure that they were human. They had rough, pale green skin that looked almost leathery in texture. Each of the guards had two fangs that protruded from their closed mouths and pointed upwards. Their bodies were hulking; it was little wonder that Ian couldn't have put up much of a fight. With more of them around, escape was out of the question entirely. Besides, he would never leave the other three.

The guards that had lifted Barbara and Vicki thankfully decided against carrying them to the castle. As Barbara walked, she observed her surroundings and nervously wrung her hands together. The Doctor and Vicki looked less anxious, at least. The Doctor held his head high, as if he wasn't being taken to some dungeon. Vicki looked absolutely amazed by the experience. Her head constantly swiveled around as she tried to take in all the sights.

They moved out of the market area into one that was more suited for housing. Dark wooden houses lined either side of the street. The only lights in the city came from the moon and torches held by guards that watched them proceed by.

The castle was located on the top of a steep hill. Walls stood tall around it and the group had to be let in through a gate. Torches illuminated most of the building and Ian felt as if everyone inside was staring at him. Inside the castle, they passed by a brightly lit hall with a table that stretched close to the entire length of the room. Dinner must have been hours ago, but Ian tried to imagine the table lined with delectable courses. He was certain everyone around him could hear his stomach grumbling as they walked past.

A little further down, they came across two stone staircases curving upwards. A granite statue between the stairs had been made in the likeness of the guards. It had a stone battleax firmly in its grip. The team was not led up the stairs nor taken into either of the side rooms. Instead, they were taken behind the statue and through an iron door.

Behind the door was a narrow staircase and the group was forced into single file. Even with torches lining the way down, it was still much darker than the entrance of the castle. Ian noticed the temperature drop when his body gave a sudden shudder.

The guards remained speechless for the lengthy descent. Just as Ian hoped that they were almost at the bottom, a terrible stench reached his nose. He could tell they'd made it to the dungeons.

Another guard met them at the bottom of the steps. "More prisoners? What did these ones do?" he asked, looking the Doctor and his companions up and down.

"They just showed up in an alleyway in a box. The old man claims it's a ship. We're keeping them here until the king has time to decide what to do with them," a guard behind Ian replied. He thought it was the one who had confronted the Doctor.

The guard that had greeted them gave a funny look at the explanation. He shrugged and said, "The execution was today, so there are some cells open in the front."

Ian was pushed forward and then into the first cell on the left. The Doctor harrumphed as he was shoved in after. Barbara and Vicki were right across from the men.

"The king will want to see you about this whole business. You can stay here until then. The king is a busy man; it might be a while before he's free. Make yourselves comfortable until then," one of the guards said with a smirk. The door clanged shut and Ian could hear the lock click.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I'll try to get the second chapter up in the next week or so.


	2. Chapter 2

This took a bit longer than expected to finish up, but I like the way it turned out. Enjoy!

* * *

Barbara and Vicki didn't talk for some time after they were thrown into the cell. They could hear the men's quiet voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Barbara had taken a seat on the hard ground. She rested in one of the cell's corners and shivered at the touch of the cold wall. She pulled her knees to her chest for warmth. Ian and she had been in a very similar situation not too long ago. At least the threat of the guillotine didn't hang over her head this time.

Eventually Vicki took a seat next to Barbara. The young girl wasn't deterred by being imprisoned. In fact, she seemed almost excited by the prospect until she realized that they weren't going anywhere soon. It was not fear, but boredom that kept Vicki still. "Does this happen very often?" she asked.

Chuckling, Barbara replied, "It happens more than I'd care to think about."

"Where have you been imprisoned before?"

"Oh," Barbara thought, "We were in jail during the French Revolution. Ian was tried for murder once and was almost wrongly executed for it. We've been held by Daleks –"

"Daleks? What are those?"

"Be glad you've never seen them. They're terrible robots bent on ruling the universe. I can't say I really understand them, but I do know they're the most evil things we've encountered."

"Hang on," Vicki said. She screwed up her face in concentration. "I think we heard about them in school! Did they invade the Earth a couple thousand years ago?"

"Yes, I guess it would have been ancient history for your time," Barbara said. This girl had an unnatural knack for making her feel old.

Neither of the two continued the conversation. Barbara wondered how they would manage to get out of this one. She thought about how the guards didn't tell them when the king would see them. A fear that they'd be forgotten and left to stay in the dungeon crossed her mind, but she shook it away. No, the king had to be curious about the TARDIS. He'd want to see them. She was sure.

Vicki tried to fight against sleep however she hadn't gotten any since leaving Dido. It was a losing battle and she slumped against the wall. Her head fell on Barbara's shoulder, startling the teacher. Barbara smiled, thinking of Susan.

* * *

Ian sat with his back against the wall and his legs sprawled out in front of him. He ran his hand down his face and sighed loudly.

The Doctor clicked his tongue and said, "I'd greatly appreciate not having to think with your constant sounds of disapproval, Chesterton."

Taken aback by the sudden outburst, Ian replied, "What on Earth are you talking about? I'm just sitting here!"

"Yes. And you're making it evident that you don't approve of our situation."

"Of course I don't, we're in jail again!"

"I wouldn't call this jail. It's the castle dungeon."

"What difference does it make?" Ian asked. His annoyance with his predicament and the Doctor threatened to turn into anger.

"The difference is, dear boy, we aren't slated for execution."

Ian mumbled, "Yet." Fortunately the Doctor didn't hear him.

"Once this king has the time to listen to us, I'm sure we'll be freed immediately."

"When will that be, Doctor? How do we now he'll remember we're here?"

"I think the king will find it difficult to forget about a materializing blue box, don't you?"

"I hope so."

The Doctor paced around the small cell. Ian watched him, trying to imagine what was going through the man's mind. For several minutes, the only noise Ian could hear was the Doctor's footsteps on the stone floor.

"Doctor?" Ian asked.

"Hm?"

"What are you planning to tell the king?"

"Ah, that's the question." The Doctor continued pacing.

* * *

"Wake up, you two."

Vicki jumped awake with a small cry. A guard held two bowls through the cell door's bars. She recognized him as the guard that had been waiting in the dungeon's entrance when they had first arrived. "Well?" he asked. "Are you going to take your food or not?"

As she rubbed sleep from her eyes, Vicki slowly stood up. "All right already, I'll take the food." She took the bowls from the guard. The guard then bent down, picked up two tankards of water, and gave them to Vicki. She placed the bowls on the ground and took the tankards as well. She turned away from the guard without a word. He left to feed Ian and the Doctor.

Barbara had woken up during the exchange. She blinked several times at Vicki as the girl approached. "What's that?" she mumbled.

"The guard says it's our food. It looks edible, at least," Vicki said, offering a tankard and then a bowl to Barbara.

With a laugh, Barbara took them. "It's just bread and water."

"Hey, it could be worse."

"I suppose you have a point."

They ate without speaking. The bread wasn't much, but it did serve to appease their rumbling stomachs, for a while at least. Vicki sipped from her tankard while Barbara clutched hers in both hands. They listened to the guard as he moved back and forth, giving the other prisoners their rations.

Vicki, lost in thought, stared at the wall in front of her. She thought of how she, Ian, and Barbara had done the impossible with the Doctor. This was a different time. This was a different place. Even if she was locked up in a dank cell, she wasn't on Dido anymore. Maybe Dido didn't even exist yet. Had her mother and father been born yet? The Doctor might've been able to provide some answers, but certainly not in his current state.

"How did you end up with the Doctor, Barbara?" Vicki asked.

Barbara took a moment to finish her water. "Ian and I taught his granddaughter at –"

"The Doctor has a granddaughter?"

"Yes. Her name is Susan. We left her on Earth before we met you."

"You left her?"

"She fell in love with a man there," Barbara shrugged. "The Doctor wasn't going to make her come along when she didn't want to anymore."

"What is she like?" Vicki asked. She folded her legs underneath her and rested her elbows on them.

"So many questions," Barbara chuckled. "Well, Susan is unique, being a time traveler like the Doctor. She's very curious. She wanted to stay on Earth to see what living there was like. I suppose she gets that from her grandfather. She has a deep appreciation for everything. She'd often want to stop to admire the sights. And she is very brave. Yes, she got scared, we all did, but she never let that stop her."

Vicki listened, enthralled by this woman that she had never met. "I'd have liked to meet her."

"She would have been thrilled to know you," Barbara said.

"I bet the Doctor misses her."

"Oh, yes, more than he lets on, I think. Ian and I miss her, too. After all, she's the reason we got ourselves into this."

"What do you mean?"

"Ian and I taught Susan at our school. She was different from the other students. It's not that she was a bad student, no, she was incredibly intelligent. She just seemed to know things that she shouldn't have. Ian and I were curious, so we followed her home one night. Her home just happened to be the TARDIS. The Doctor wasn't happy to see us and decided that he couldn't let his secret out. He took us with him."

"Without giving you a choice? That's terrible!"

"We thought so, too, at first," Barbara said, remembering very well the first time she met the Doctor. "But now, I'd go so far to say that the Doctor cares about Ian and me as much as we care for him. He's done a lot to keep us safe."

* * *

The Doctor sat on the floor of his cell. His mate had dozed off some point after finishing his bread. The silence helped him to concentrate on how he would get out of this one. What kind of lie could explain the sudden appearance of a time machine? Could any lie have that capability? The king might listen to the truth. Whether or not he would believe it was a different matter.

A guard came rattling at the bars sooner than the Doctor expected. "The king has asked to see you now."

"Well, it's about time," the Doctor said. He shook Ian's shoulder and said, "Wake up, Chesterton. The king is ready for us."

"No."

The objection startled the Doctor. He stared at the guard, puzzled.

"The king only said that he will see you specifically, old man." The guard pulled the door open for the Doctor to exit.

"Wait just a minute now!" Ian clambered to his feet and made to approach the guard.

The Doctor extended an arm to keep Ian away. "We don't want to upset the king, do we, dear boy? No, you'll stay here like the guard says. I shan't be long." Once the Doctor stepped out of the cell, the guard swung the door closed again with a clang.

Vicki and Barbara had watched the exchange. The young girl called to the Doctor. He noted her nervous tone and said, "It's all right. I'll be back." He felt three pairs of eyes watching him as the guard led him out of the dungeon.

The guard didn't say anything as they walked; the Doctor didn't expect him to. They climbed up the long flight of steps and emerged behind the towering statue. The Doctor was led up one of the curving staircases and into the throne room.

A lengthy black carpet stretched from the entrance to the steps leading up to the throne. Columns lined both sides of the room. A second level opened above. The Doctor could see bored faces staring down at him. He assumed them to belong to the king's council.

The king himself sat on the throne, a shining silver crown atop his head. Coarse black hair spilled over his shoulders and stopped at his stomach. His hair made him look wild and menacing, traits that the Doctor figured he enjoyed possessing.

When the guard reached the bottom of the steps to the raised platform, he dropped to one knee. The Doctor followed suit although he wasn't entirely happy to do so. He figured his odds were better if he didn't upset the king.

"Rise," the king spoke, his voice booming throughout the spacious room. He gestured to the guard and said, "Hagamar here told me that he captured you and three others last night. I've had guards and my magician examine this strange box of yours, yet I can explain it about as well as Hagamar can. I'd like to hear what you have to say."

"You've been tampering with my ship?" the Doctor's chest swelled in rage. "I'll have you know –"

"You forget who you're talking to, old man. I can have you locked away until my people can figure out the secrets of this box."

The Doctor let out an exasperated sigh. "That 'box,' as you're so fond of calling it, is a TARDIS. It travels through time and space."

"That's a lie. Humans have yet to master time travel."

"I tell the truth about my machine. However, I am not sure where we are in the universe's timeline to comment on humans' knowledge of time travel."

"You speak as if you are not human," the king noted, leaning forward on his throne.

"That's because I'm not. And you speak as if you have encountered humans."

"Yes," the king grimaced. "We have, unfortunately."

"'Unfortunately?'"

"Humans found this planet in their travels. They named us 'orcs,' a people they believed to be mythical, just as we thought they were a product of thousands of years of stories. These humans are very much like the humans of those old tales. Mere months after they discovered our planet, they killed a king and razed a city. Our terms have been rather strained since then."

The Doctor nodded his understanding. "I am sorry to hear that you have fallen victim to humans' violent nature."

"Explain to me, old man, how you are not a human when you look exactly like one."

"Ah, that's simple. I have the capability to traverse space and time, as I have said. My own race has an understanding of time that humans cannot comprehend. I have visited places that have ceased to exist and others that have not been formed yet."

"And this box? You call it your ship?" the king asked.

"It is my means of travel. The three with me, who are indeed human, are simply accompanying me."

"They will not harm my people? You must understand my cause for concern."

"No!" the Doctor laughed. "They wouldn't dream of it. They'll be appalled to learn of how you've been treated."

"I see. What will you do if I let you free?"

"I often enjoy learning all that I can about the places I visit. If you are accommodating, I say that I'd like to do the same here. Afterwards, my companions and I will be on our way."

The king thought on the request. After several seconds, he said, "I should know the name of a man who will be staying at my castle."

"I am simply the Doctor."

"As you wish. You and your companions will be given a room in the guest wing."

"Thank you, King . . ."

"King Olfog," the king responded as he stood. "Hagamar will retrieve your friends and show you to your room." He began walking towards a door behind the throne.

"Yes, but what of my ship? I'd rather it not stay in its present location. With enough help, we can move it somewhere secure."

"That's already been done, Doctor. Your ship has been moved to the castle and is under my custody until further notice."

"'Your custody?'"

"I will learn its magic yet."

The Doctor started after the king. "How dare you –" he was cut off when Hagamar stepped in front of him, sword at the ready.

"I'm offering you a much cozier room than the dungeon. I'd stop there before I change my mind," King Olfog said.

* * *

"Doctor!" Vicki squealed. She ran past the guard and embraced the Doctor, unaware of his worried expression.

Ian gave the older man a pat on the back. "How did things go? We're out of that dungeon, so it must've been alright."

As she approached, Barbara noticed the Doctor's strained expression and his set jaw. "What's wrong, Doctor?"

"Not here. I'll explain once we get to our room," the Doctor said.

"Let's go, then," Hagamar said. He led them through an archway opposite the great hall. They climbed a flight of steps that led to a long hallway with doors lining either side. Some were open and revealed rooms such as studies and closets. The door Hagamar stopped in front of was closed. He pulled a key from his pocket and unlocked it.

The door opened to a common area with armchairs surrounding a fireplace. Several bookshelves lined the walls. A huge window across from the door lit the otherwise dim room. A wooden desk cluttered with papers and quills sat under the window. Hagamar left the four of them on their own after informing them that lunch was over. Dinner would be at five.

The Doctor immediately collapsed into one of the armchairs. "Chesterton, light us a fire, would you? There's a chill in here."

Unable to forget the Doctor's worry, Barbara stood in front of him and asked, "What happened with the king, Doctor? Why are we staying here?"

Conscious that Vicki was leaning on the back of the armchair and that Ian was listening while working at the fire, the Doctor said, "I explained to King Olfog the circumstances of our arrival. He was very curious and accepting of my request to learn more of this planet."

"Oh, that's terrific!" Vicki said, bouncing on her feet.

"That's good news. How long will we be staying?" Barbara asked.

The Doctor looked down and fumbled with his hands. "The king has taken the TARDIS into his custody indefinitely."

"What?" Vicki was suddenly still.

"He's keeping it?" Ian said from the fireplace.

"He has claimed it until he can figure out how it works," the Doctor explained.

Barbara asked, "Are we to stay here until then?"

"That's what I gathered. However, the king said there was a way we could get the ship back."

Ian stepped away from the hearth, leaving behind a blazing fire. "And just how can we do that?"

The Doctor rubbed his chin, thinking. He said, "The king holds a tourney twice every year. This one is a week away. We can get the TARDIS back as a prize for winning the tournament. He told me that, as his guests, we're required to compete to show we're worthy of his hospitality; all of his guests participate."

"Oh, I can fight, Doctor!" Ian grinned. "Even if I lose, I'm sure we can find the TARDIS ourselves."

"According to the king, I'm much too old for this. I managed to convince him that Vicki's too young for this and hasn't been trained, so she'll be fine."

"Wait," Barbara said, her face turning white. "Vicki shouldn't have to fight anyways. She's a girl."

The Doctor gazed at Barbara sympathetically. "King Olfog told me how all of his people learn to fight from an early age, men and women alike. You can already tell, can't you, my dear? Both you and Chesterton have to fight in the king's tourney."

* * *

Ahh, hope you all don't mind a lot of dialogue. Anyways, thanks for reading! I'll have the next chapter up as soon as it's ready.


End file.
